Deliverance
by LittleWing
Summary: Past case has dire consequences for Tommy, Trent and the rest of the gang. Xover with walker.
1. the abduction

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I don't really remember who does, it's just not me.

Notes: This is an old story that I had posted somewhere else, and I've decided to post here. Enjoy.

Rating: R for adult situations and language.

"Trent," Tommy said looking at his older brother from the passenger seat of Trent's car."Thanks for letting me tag along."

"You're welcome." Trent said momentarily taking his eyes off the road to look at his younger brother.

"Thought you'd say no," Tommy said quietly.

"I did, but Carlos talked me into it."

"How'd he do that?"

"He told me that you and I needed some time to get to know each other again, and talk about what grew us apart."

"You mean aside from that fact that you joined the army and didn't come back home until Dad died?"

Trent cringed at his brother's words. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Something like that."

A somewhat awkward silence set in after Tommy's near harsh words and Trent's quiet reply. Neither one knew quite what to say to the other. Each wanted to say their apologies but neither could find the words.

Trent sighed of relief when Tommy dozed off half an hour after their short conversation. "This is gonna be a rough trip," Trent thought as he pulled into the parking lot of their motel. Not wanting to wake his brother, Trent went to check in.

**************

On the other side of the parking lot a large, muscular man stopped dead in his tracks. "Right on schedule," he thought, eyeing the blue convertible. Smiling, he turned to face the direction of the car that had just driven in. 

"Malloy," he said aloud not meaning to. With a concentrated stare he watched the blond man walk into the lobby of the motel. Carefully his eyes drifted back to the form inside the car. The figure in the passenger seat stirred slightly. A cool smile crossed the man's face as he stared back in Trent's direction. The plan he had put together to exact his revenge on Trent Malloy, Cordell Walker, and Walker's other little friend, Ranger Gage, was coming together perfectly.

****************

"Tommy," Trent said carefully placing his hand on the sleeping youth's shoulder.

"Hmmmm," Tommy moaned as he stirred to wake.

"You can crash in the room for a couple of hours," Trent said, grabbing their bags and heading toward the room.

Tommy got out of the car and followed his brother, tiredly. Upon entering the room Tommy fell onto the first bed that he saw. Trent could not help but find it a little funny. After he left Tommy a note, Trent left.

*************

The man watched intensely as Trent left his room, got in his car and left. He waited until Trent pulled into traffic before he headed toward the room.

****************

After a very loud, sharp knock had awakened him, Tommy groggily walked to the motel room door. Tommy opened the door without thinking about what or who maybe on the other side. 

"Hello," he said sleepily.

"Is this Trent Malloy's room?" asked a tall muscular man.

"Yeah." He stared blankly at the man, barely taking in his graying dark hair, and sleepy set blue eyes. 

"What's your name again?" He smiled as friendly as possible at the youth. 

"Tommy." His sleep hazed eyes noticed an evil spark in the man's eyes.

"Trent's younger brother?" His smile broadened, turning from friendly to slightly demented. 

"Yeah," Tommy said snapping awake when he saw the smile on the man's face. "Who are you? What do you want?" He fired at the man, wanting to slam the door, but his body was not working.

Before Tommy could react, the man shoved him back into the room, and then stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Equally as quick he grabbed Tommy, twisting his arms painfully behind him, using a thin rope to bind them.

"Don't make a sound." He placed a knife to Tommy's throat. He quickly scribbled something across the motel pad of paper. He turned back to Tommy, and said, "Let's go."

He roughly pulled Tommy toward his room. He opened the door to his room, managing to keep one hand tightly clasped over Tommy's mouth. In one rough, yet smooth, move he threw Tommy into the room and shut the door.

He moved toward Tommy like a lion descending on its prey. He reached down and roughly plucked the boy from the floor where he had fallen.

"What do you want?" Tommy demanded as his assailant forced him face down on the bed.

Pulling his knife, the man quickly cut the rope. Relieved that his hands were free, Tommy moved to push himself up.

"I wouldn't if I were you," his captor said, placing the knife close enough to his neck to draw a bead of blood. He stopped dead. "Good boy."

"Who are you?" Tommy asked trying to keep his voice calm. "What do you want?"

"Your brother'll know who I am, as will his friends Walker and Gage," he said not moving the knife. "I want revenge for what they did to me." He removed the knife and flipped Tommy onto his back.

"What're you gonna do to me?" Tommy asked weakly.

"Nothing if you behave and do exactly what I say," he said momentarily locking eyes with the boy. "None of that kung fu shit either, boy." He set the knife aside, much to Tommy's relief, and retrieved a gun from behind his back. Frightened beyond words, Tommy began to move away from his captor. The man quickly grabbed Tommy by the throat and moved to straddle the youth's chest. "Don't ever do that again," he said pointing the gun at Tommy and giving the boy's neck a quick squeeze. Tommy grabbed the man's wrist when his oxygen supply was temporarily cut off.

"I will not kill you or go after any of your younger siblings if you do exactly what I say," he said seeing Tommy's self-preservation turn into protectiveness. He smiled. The kid was way too easy to read. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," Tommy breathed.

"Good." He got off Tommy and headed for the bathroom.

Tommy's eyes flicked between his captor and the door. The idea of being used as a pawn in a mad man's game of cat and mouse did not sit well with the youth. Though he doubted that his captor would not falter in his threat to his family, he knew that Trent had the power to protect his family. Without further mental debate Tommy peeled himself off the bed and made for the door.

Fear gripped him when the door was slammed shut just as he had begun to open it. Equally as quick he was grabbed and slammed against the wall.

"It would've been better for you if you hadn't done that," his captor said, grabbing him savagely by the arm and dragging him to his feet. "Looks as though I am going to have to teach you a little lesson in listening." He tossed the breathless youth onto the bed. Keeping a careful eye on Tommy, he went to his bag and retrieved a pair of manacles. With a swift move he reached out and grabbed Tommy by the ankle.

"Don't," Tommy murmured.

"Don't what?" The man said pushing Tommy's left pant leg up. Quickly he pushed the boy's sock down and slapped the manacles around Tommy's slender ankle.

"I won't do it again," Tommy said softly.

"Yeah, well, now I know that." He slapped the other cuff on Tommy's right ankle, and then he moved away.

"Let me go," Tommy said, panicking a little, pushing at the manacles binding his feet together, keeping him from running again.

"Can't do that," he said placing a piece of tape he had just torn over Tommy's mouth. "The cuffs are to keep you from running and the tape's to keep you quiet for your lesson." He ran a large hand gently through the youth's hair. His gentle touch suddenly changed to a rough, hard one, as he gruffly gripped the back of Tommy's neck. "Disobey me again and you'll wish that I would do this to you." He held the boy's eyes for a moment."Try 'an take that tape off, boy, and you'll regret it," he growled at Tommy, roughly tossing the youth against the wall at the head of the bed and heading for the bathroom again.

With a grunt of frustration Tommy fell back against the wall. He could hardly believe his luck or lack there of. It had been a while since someone had tried to use him as bait for his brother, and he had hoped that it would never happen again. Of course he knew that it would, it would just be a matter of time before the next nut case decided to get even with Trent. Trent always tried to teach him that fear could be a friend and was a natural human emotion, but he could not figure out how his fear was going to either save his life or get him out the situation he was now in. All that he could do was sit against the wall stare at his cuffed feet and wish he could just rip off the duck tape that was covering his mouth. 

*****************

"Tommy," Trent said, entering the hotel room. Tommy was not on the bed and the bathroom door was open. Concern filled his every fiber when there was no sign of his younger brother. Worry nearly clouding his mind Trent went back to the door of the room and looked outside. Nothing. Not one sign of his brother or why he was missing. Quickly he went back inside and headed for the phone. He was about to dial Carlos at the office, when he spotted the hotel notepad next to the phone. Carefully Trent picked up the notepad and was immediately taken aback by its content. Without any further delay he picked up the phone and dialed the number for the office, hoping that Carlos would be there.

"Carlos," he said when he heard his friend answer the phone. "Tommy's been kidnaped. I need you to bring Walker."

"Trent, what's going on?" Carlos asked confused.

"Two years ago Walker, Gage and I busted this guy named Taylor Biggins. Biggins took Tommy today. He must've taken him after I left. If you can get him, bring Gage too," Trent explained in one breath.

"Trent, man, you need to breathe," Carlos said trying to soak in everything Trent had just said."Where was I when this all went down?"

"On another case." He sounded shocked.

"Okay, Trent," Carlos said, suddenly feeling the gravity of the situation. "You gonna be all right, man? Can you stay cool until we get to Austin?" 

"I'll be fine when we get Tommy back. That is one sick bastard, there's no telling what he'll do to Tom. You don't even want to know what he was gonna do to Gage when he found out he was a cop," he said his voice strained from emotion.

"Trent, man, I need you to stay cool. Don't do anything until we get there. Okay, I'll get them and we'll be there yesterday. Can you do that for me, for Tom?"

"I'll do the best that I can, Carlos," Trent said, feeling angry and lost. "I'll wait for you."

"Good. We'll be there soon." Carlos hung up.

Trent allowed the receiver to slip from his fingers as the shock of everything began to set in. How could any of this have happened? He knew that it was a bad idea to let Tom come along. He should have not even considered bringing him along. It was all his fault that Tom had been abducted. There was no one else at fault, just him. He had brought him straight into the lap of danger just being related to him. How was he going to tell his mother? There would be no way to tell her that her second baby boy had been abducted because of him and his work.


	2. the call

"Oh my God," Carlos whispered as his fingers hastily punched in Walker's number. "Damn," he said when there was no answer. Taking a chance, he dialed Gage's number.

"Gage," came the voice that was like music to Carlos' ears.

"Gage, this is Carlos," he said quickly.

"Hey, man," Gage said, casually.

"I need you to find Walker. Trent just called me. Tommy's been kidnaped."

"Does he have any leads?" The cop in him winning over the friend.

"One big one," Carlos said worry filling him again. Only the worry was not for Tommy it was for Trent. "He know's who took him."

"Who?"

"Taylor . . . " was all Carlos got out before Gage's voice cut in.

"Biggins." The fear in Gage's voice was unmistakable. "I know where Walker is. I'll get him and we'll meet you at your office in half an hour." Gage hung up.

____________________________________________________________________________

"I'm gonna take that tape off now," Biggins said to Tommy. "Stay quiet." Tommy stared at him with distaste, but obeyed the man.

"Good boy. Now we have a phone call to make." He picked up the phone and dialed.

"Walker," a somewhat gruff voice said.

"Cordell, so good to hear your voice again," Biggins said as if they were old friends.

"Who is this?" Walker asked trying to remember the voice.

"Don't tell me you don't remember me, Walker. I bet that your boys do," he said pausing to see if he had rung any bells yet. "But then again how could Gage forget me with what I had prepared for him."

"Taylor Biggins," recognition filled Walker's voice.

"The one and only," he said full of himself. "I wasn't calling to catch up on old times. I was calling to tell you that I have a guest here who misses his brother."

"You have Trent?"

"No, although, I'll bet that he'd be willing to give himself over to me if I asked. Here, I'll let you talk to my young guest." He placed the phone to Tommy's ear. "Talk," he ordered.

"Walker," Tommy said slowly. "It's Tom."

"Tommy, are you all right?" 

"Yeah, you have to help Trent find me."

"Where are you?"

"I never . . . " Biggins snatched the phone away, cutting him off.

"Come and get him, oh and bring your other pretty boy with you." He hung up. "Don't you ever do that again," he said landing a hard slap to the boy's shoulder. "They'll be here soon," He removed the cuffs from Tommy's ankles.

"Where're we going?" Tommy asked as Biggins locked vice like fingers around Tommy's upper arm.

"Away from here." He pulled Tommy to the door. "You agree with whatever I say, keep your mouth shut or you die," he hissed at the boy as they exited the room.

____________________________________________________________________________

"I hope that your stay was enjoyable," the middle-aged woman behind the counter said.

"Oh, yes." Biggins smiled pleasantly at her. "I was just waiting for my ex to drop off my boy." He gave Tommy a short hard squeeze. 

"Thank you for choosing to stay with us, Mr. Dallas," she said taking the key from Biggins. "I hope that you and your son have a lovely time wherever it is you're going."

"We're going home. He's coming to live with me now." He gave Tommy another, short squeeze.

"He's not . . . " he was cut off by yet another sharp squeeze of his arm.

"What was that?" she asked, not quite sure of what the young man had just attempted to tell her.

"He said thank you." Biggins covered the boy's attempt at obtaining help.

"You're welcome." She momentarily locked eyes with Tommy. "Please, come again," she said to them both as Biggins ushered Tommy to the door.

____________________________________________________________________________

"Do you want to die?" Biggins shoved Tommy into his white late model Ford Escort.

"No, but it's better than being a pawn." Tommy shot him a look of pure abhorrence.

"You know what boy?" Biggins questioned, looking Tommy directly in the eye. "You forget that you have younger siblings at home. Do you really want me to go after them as well?"

Feeling cornered and helpless, Tommy had no choice but to admit defeat. Deflated, he slowly shook his head no.

"Good boy." Biggins started the car and pulled away.

____________________________________________________________________________

Gage could feel the fear begin to consume over him again. He feared Taylor Biggins almost as much as he wanted to kill the bastard. He had to keep control over his fear, for Tommy's sake. He would be no good to anyone if he allowed the fear to gain a strong foot hold in him. They had to find Biggins and get Tommy back before the monstrosity did something that would do permanent damage to the youth's mind. The man had already managed to scare Gage deeply, though he had hid it well since then.

Gage's fingers quickly dialed Walker's cell phone number.

"Walker," a somewhat gruff voice said, sharply.

"It's Gage." His voice was void of his usual light laugh. "Biggins is alive."

"I know," Walker said, sullenly.

"He's got . . . " he was cut off by Walker's voice.

"Tommy Malloy." He let out a frustrated sigh. "He called me."

"I told Carlos that we'd meet him at his office A.S.A.P." He regained his composure.

"Are you sure that you're gonna be up to this?" The concern for Gage was unmistakable in his voice.

"I have to be. I don't have any other choice."

"I'll meet you at Carlos' office in ten minutes."

"See ya there." Gage hung up.


	3. a friend in need

"Carlos?" Gage questioned as he entered the glass doors of the detective agency. He had never driven so fast in his life without there being some sort of chase involved.

"Over here," Carlos called out as he appeared from his office. "You all right, man? You look like you've seen a ghost or something." He noted his newest friend's pale complection.

"I'll be all right," Gage reassured both of them. "Walker here yet?"

"No, he called a few minutes ago and said he'd be here soon." Carlos took a sip from a white coffee mug with a picture of a hundred-dollar bill painted all the way around it. "Why don't you get yourself a cup and try to get your mind back together?" 

"Worth a try," he all but muttered, heading for the coffee machine.

Nervously Gage picked up a plain black mug and poured himself a cup of coffee. As steady as he could get his hands, Gage took the mug to a near by table and chairs. His first sip was short and slow. Setting the mug on the table, Gage closed his eyes and leaned further back in the chair. He took as deep a breath as his lungs would allow him to, and held onto it until his lungs began to beg for fresh air. Slowly he let the air out of his full lungs. It was not working. None of the breathing exercises he had learned were working. He still felt scared, lost, hurt, confused and angry.

"You're gonna hyperventilate if you keep breathing like that." Carlos' voice cut through his mind like a pick axe into the earth. Carlos slowly sat in the chair across from Gage.

"It's not working," he whispered.

"Wanna tell me what happened?"

"Taylor Biggins was the head of a child porno ring, as well as a rapist, drug dealer, kidnaper, and that's only the top of the list." Gage looked at Carlos. "Trent and I went undercover as potential buyers for his smut and drugs. Everything was fine for the first few days when we were dealing with him, but then he found out that I was undercover. He . . . he called me one night and asked me to meet him at some club downtown." He took a long sip of the black liquid thast filled the black mug held firmly in his hands.

"Take your time," Carlos said quietly.

"But when I got there, there was no club, just an empty building. I was heading back to my car when Biggins cornered me in the alley. It was a dead end. He said all kinds of things and I tried to talk my way out of it, but he only called me liar. I tried to fight my way past him, but he had me in one punch. He took me to his house. 

"Where he beat me until I begged him to stop. He would toy around with me until he was satisfied. He did everything he could to break me. It was working. But I wasn't the only one being tortured. He would take pictures of me and send them to Walker. It took Trent and Walker almost a week to figure out where he had me hidden.

"The night that they found me, he had beaten me again and was about to rape me, again. He was video taping the whole thing. When Trent and Walker got there, he used me to get out. He forced me into his car and took off. Walker gave chase. Biggins lost control of the car and we went into the river. His body was never found. I thought he was dead." Gage looked at Carlos with a look in his eye that frightened him.

"We all did, Gage," a strong voice said startling the younger men.

"Walker," Carlos addressed the older man, as he stood from his chair. "He was just giving me a history lesson."

"He had to tell someone sometime." Walker placed a reassuring hand on Gage's shoulder. "I'm glad that he finally did, you're a good listener, Carlos," 

"Did it help?" Carlos asked looking at the blond ranger.

"I think it did." A sad smile played across the handsome features of his face, causing the pained look in his eyes to become noticeable for the first time. "Thanks."

"Anytime, man." His dark eyes looked up at the clock. "We should be going."

________________________________________________________________________


	4. history lessons

"So what did they do to you?" Tommy's voice was hard and angry.

"Your brother and that boy toy friend of his tried to send me to jail." He glanced over at Tommy. "And when that didn't work they tried to kill me. That little blond boy of Walker's tried to steer us off the road when I was trying get away from your brother and Walker. He steered us straight into a river. I almost died.

"They cost me everything." He slapped the steering wheel hard with the heel of his left hand. "So I took something that means something to everyone, you. I know that you mean a lot to Walker and Trent, but what do you mean to Gage?"

"I hardly know him," Tommy mumbled staring out the window. "What are you gonna do to me?"

"First I'm gonna teach your brother what it's like to lose almost everything, then we'll have some fun," he said with a smile that sent chills straight through the youth.

"Are you gonna kill me?" He had to know. He wanted to know so that he could steel himself for it.

"I'm gonna make it look that way." He looked at his captive like a man dying of thirst would a glass of water. "I'm gonna kill your brother and Walker. But not you or Gage. You two are special men." 

"Why?"

"Oh, because you were there and because the cards fell into place. Just because I feel like it," he said with a shrug, as if he were ordering a cup of coffee. "No more questions, or I might reconsider and kill you anyway."


	5. the search

"Trent?" Carlos knocked on the door to Trent's hotel room.

"Carlos." Trent propped the door open enough to see his three friends, Carlos, Gage and Walker, standing before him. Sighing heavily he leaned against the door jamb, knocking it open, allowing the three men with worried masks covering their normally smiling faces into the room.

"Where's the note?" Walker tried to keep his tone official as he stepped through the door. Wordlessly Trent thrust the hotel pad of paper toward his old friend. "'Malloy, I have the boy. You want him, come and find him. I can't promise he'll be in one piece. - Biggins P.s. rumors of my death were false,'" he read it aloud for Gage and Carlos.

"That sick son of a . . ." Gage stopped himself in mid sentence, not allowing himself to let the careful control, that he was barely maintaining, slip.

"Have you checked around for witnesses yet?" Carlos asked, trying to keep his head straight.

"No." He ran his hands through his slightly long blond hair. "I was trying to get myself together enough to do that." Trent sank to the closest bed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Gage, you and Walker talk to the guests. Trent and I'll check the front desk," Carlos delegated. 

____________________________________________________________________________

"Excuse me, Ma'am," Carlos said, approaching the woman at the front desk.

"Yes?" she said curtly.

"Have you seen either this boy or this man?" He pulled two photographs from his shirt pocket then set them side by side on the counter top.

"Not the boy, but I was working when the man came in and wanted a room." She tapped a bright red lacquered finger nail against the photograph of Biggins.

"Were you also on duty when he checked out?" He allowed his detective side to take over, curbing his desperation to find his best friend's brother.

"No."

"Do you know who was?"

"Andi was," she said.

"Is he still here?"

"She is in the back getting ready to go home."

"Could you get her? I have a few questions for her," Carlos said, feeling a twinge of hope begin to fill him.

"Why should I?"

"Look . . . " he began, his dark eyes scanning the small green tag above her left breast for a name. "Look, Sarah, the man you pointed to in the picture is wanted for kidnaping, child pornography, assault on a police officer and murder." He all but yelled at her, hoping that it convinced her to cooperate.

"He seemed like such a nice man." A look of horror and shock settled on her face. "Wait right here." She disappeared to the back.

"Are you a cop?" a woman asked emerging from the back room.

"No, I'm a private detective. And the boy in the photo is that man's, " he pointed to Trent, who was pacing silently in front of the glass window, "younger brother. The man in the other photo kidnaped him today."

"Oh." She took the photographs from Carlos. "I saw them together," she said after looking at the photographs for a few seconds.

"When?"

"Early this afternoon." She leaned against the counter. "He said that the boy was his son and that his ex had just dropped the boy off."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Just that they were headed home."

"Do you have the name he used here?"

"Yes," she said typing in a name. "He checked in as Mr. Kevin Dallas. Just one moment." She turned and opened a filing cabinet that was next to a short table behind the counter along the back wall. Taking out some paperwork she quickly went to the copier. Fresh copies in hand she returned her attention to Carlos. "I'm not supposed to give these to anyone, but there was something about the boy the worried me." She handed the papers to Carlos.

"What was it that worried you?" He glanced at the papers in his hands.

"He started to tell me something but Mr. Dallas cut him off."

"What was it he was trying to tell you?"

"I'm not sure. All he got out was 'he's not' before the man made him be quiet."

"Thank you very much." Carlos smiled at her, and then turned in Trent's direction.

____________________________________________________________________________

"Any luck?" Walker asked the moment Carlos and Trent walked through the door to the room.

"Some." He handed the papers he was given to Walker.

"Biggins was here." He faced his three friends, leaning slightly against the woodgrain desk in the room. "The woman at the front desk, her name's Andi, said that he checked in as Kevin Dallas. She told me that when he checked out Tom was with him. He claimed that Tom was his son. He also told her that he was taking his son home with him." Walker and Gage looked through the small stack of papers as Carlos spoke.

Walker opened his mouth, taking in a sharp breath and to say something that had just occurred to him when Carlos' cell phone rang.

"Sandoval." The tone in his voice was sharp, to the point and very nearly dangerous.

"How's Trent holding it together?" a voice Carlos did not recognize asked casually.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"Put Gage on," the voice said coldly.

Silently Carlos handed the phone to Gage, hesitating slightly he took the phone from Carlos.

"Biggins." He was doing his best to keep his anger, at the monster on the other end of the line, in check.

"Gage, it's been a while." Biggins voice was bright as the sun on a sunny summer day.

"Not long enough," Gage countered.

"That would hurt if I didn't know that you missed me."

"I miss you the way that the mouse misses the cat," he spat.

"My, my aren't we in a bad mood today."

"Let the kid go."

"Make me."

"Why are you calling?"

"Just wanted to see how the investigation's going. But then again you just started looking. There's nothing in the room I had, so I wouldn't waste my time with it. Did you get my clues yet?" He hung up.

"Where is he?" Trent asked. He was beginning to feel sick and numb.

"He didn't say." He ran a hand through his short blond hair, handing Carlos the phone. "All he said was that his room's clean and that he left clues for us."

"His name," Carlos said, quietly.

"He's taking Tommy back to Dallas," Walker said. "Gage, call Travette and have him get over to the Malloy's just in case he meant that home."

"He won't go there, not so long as he has Tommy," Gage gravely informed them. He could not bring himself to look Trent in the eye. After all this was all his fault.

"Where will he go?" Trent and Carlos' voices mingled together as they spoke in unison.

"We need to get back to Dallas and find out." Walker headed for the door.

____________________________________________________________________________


	6. good news gone bad

Tommy sat in sullen silence on a large black sofa, his longish blond hair falling into his eyes, hiding them from what little light there was. He was doing the best he could to not think about what could happen to him. He knew that Trent would find him; it was just a matter of time. Everything was just a matter of time. It was a matter of time before Biggins tortured him or worse. Deep inside he knew that he would always be a bit broken by all of this, but it all hinged on him surviving. He was most assuredly intimidated by Biggins. He knew that every one of the threats Biggins made would be fulfilled. 

"You weren't thinking of a way to escape, where you?" Biggins asked Tommy as he entered the room. 

"No." His voice cracked and was weaker than he meant or wanted it to be.

"Good." He sat on the couch next to the youth. "I got your brother a little present." He carefully tucked a stray lock of Tommy's hair behind his ear. 

"Are you gonna leave my family alone?" He pulled back from the large man's touch.

"I will leave your younger siblings and mother alone," he said reaching his hand out to Tommy. Easily Tommy evaded his captor's reach. Angered, Biggins lunged at Tommy. Expertly his thick fingers and large hands locked around Tommy's throat. "I told you," he growled. "That if you ever tried to get away again, you'd regret it, remember?"

"I'm sorry," he breathed. His mind was hardly working any more, finding the simplest phrases or even words was difficult as fear began to creep farther into his mind, taking control over the strong rational that he had been relying upon. He had to find away to push the fear out and keep his head together. If he lost it and allowed his fear to get in his head, he would die. He would die if he lost his head now; that was there was to it. 

"I'll let it go this once," he whispered into Tommy's ear. "We have a present to leave your brother." 

Nimbly Biggins seized Tommy's left arm just below the shoulder, and wrenched him off the couch. Tommy stumbled beside the large man as they hastily made their way to the door. He wanted to pull against the vice grip of Biggins, but fear kept him from finding out what the price would be for that.

____________________________________________________________________________

Loud cries and low moans filled every square inch of the old warehouse. The sound of wood connecting with flesh and bone sickened Tommy more than any scene from a horror movie or news story ever could. He tried to keep his eyes closed and tune out the sounds of the grotesque scene that was taking place before him. The moans of the poor soul Biggins was beating to were beginning to fade and give way to the sound of the wooden baseball bat hitting pulverized flesh. 

"Open you're eyes, Malloy," Biggins gasped breathless from the exertion of the beating he had, only moments before, been dispensing upon a poor soul that happened to bare a physical resemblance Tommy.

Though he wanted to keep them closed until Trent found him, he was afraid of what Biggins would do to him he disobeyed him. Tommy, slowly, complied with Biggins' demand.

"That's better," Biggins murmured, running a thick hand roughly through Tommy's dark blond hair. A smile lit across his round square face when Tommy closed his eyes again. He could smell the fear that was oozing from every pore in the boy's body. "Keep them open." 

Fear soaking his every fiber, Tommy did as he was told, opening his blue-green eyes and keeping them open. He did everything he could to not look at the bloody, pulverized mess that was once a living breathing human being. He hoped that Trent would be able to see through the ruse and instinctively know that he was not dead, that Biggins had him tucked safely away in a part of the city they had yet to scour. Any minute, any hour Trent, Walker, Carlos, Travette and Gage would come bursting through the door of wherever it was that they were and save the day. That is how it had to work. That is how it happens in the movies, the good guys see through the plot of the bad guys and save the day at the last possible second. 

Though he wished things would happen like that, deep inside he knew that would not really happen. Not in the real world. In the real world, he would be lucky if they found him before Biggins tortured him or worse. Tommy knew the chances of him actually surviving were slim, but still he had to hold out hope. As long as he had hope, he was still alive. 

Tommy watched in silence as Biggins made sure the body of a young man that bore a striking resemblance to himself, when he was alive, was unidentifiable by anything but dental records. The sight of the well beaten young man made Tommy sick to his stomach. Not fully satisfied with his handy work the large man kicked the corpse in the face a few more times.

"Time to go." He grabbed Tommy by the arm and dragged him from the warehouse.

"Where're we going?" Tommy asked as he was dragged to a car a tossed inside.

"Back to my place." He was purposely vague. He went quickly to the drivers side and climbed in.

____________________________________________________________________________

"Sandoval." Carlos answered his cell phone.

"How's our little friend holding up?" a voice, with a slight laugh, asked.

"So, you went back to Dallas." Carlos refused to play Biggins sick game of cat and mouse.

"What's the matter, Carlos, not up to playing?" Biggins said as though he were referring to a game of chess or poker, rather than a game where someone's life hung in the balance.

"No."His voice was full of venom."As a matter of fact, I'm not."

"My, somebody's ballsy," he said clearly enjoying himself.

"Why don't you just knock off the game playing and tell us what you want?" He did not want to talk to the bastard any longer than he had to. It was bad enough that he had talked to him this long and he had only spoken to the man for a few seconds.

"All right, fair enough," he said sounding very serious. "Check the warehouse district. Abandoned warehouses. The kid's in one of them." 

"What did you do to him?!" Carlos demanded nearly yelling into his phone. He got no answer. Biggins had hung up before he could get his question out.

Running on pure emotion, Carlos dialed Gage's cell phone number.

"Gage."

"It's Carlos."

"What's going on?" Gage sensed that something was off. Why would Carlos call him when they were so close the Dallas? There was no reason for him to call, unless there were something wrong.

"Biggins just called me. He said that when we get back we need to check the warehouse district. The abandoned warehouses," he said in a rushed breath. "I think that he did something to Tom."

"Slow down, man," Gage said in an authoritative voice, in an attempt to calm his friend down; all the while worry filled him. "Did he say why he wanted us to do that?"

"No. He just said to check abandoned warehouses."

"We'll find out when we get there." He hung up the phone and stared at the highway that stretched out before Walker's full sized pickup truck. Carefully his fingers dialed Travette's cell number. 

"Travette."

"It's Gage," he said feeling as though he were thousands of miles away from everything that was happening.

"How's Trent?" Concern oozed through his voice.

"He called Carlos and told him to check the abandoned warehouse district. He claims that Tommy's in one of them. Could you get a team togther and start a search?"

"You got it."

Gage used all of the strength he had to keep from feeling relieved by the news that Biggins had given them. He knew Biggins was up to something; he could feel it. He would never go to the trouble of kidnaping someone just to kill them a few hours later. No, he was the type of person who enjoyed the hunt. He enjoyed being hunted, but never caught. Taylor Biggins liked to torture people for as long as it was a game and he was winning. Gage knew better than to believe anything that Biggins had hidden away in a warehouse in Dallas. It would all be a trick. It all had to be a trick; a sick, twisted ruse. A clever way to torture Trent for both fooling him and almost capturing him. He also knew that Trent was distraught over the entire situation, and that he would believe anything Biggins left in the warehouse for him. Gage had to find Biggins before he could damage any of them any further than he already had. No matter what was waiting for them in Dallas, he had to stop Biggins.


	7. a body's found

The sun had just begun to sink below the horizon when they reached Dallas. A search of the warehouse district was already in progress. The police had found nothing, as of yet, when Gage checked a half an hour before arriving in town. Nearly an hour after arriving in town, Gage was called and informed that the badly beaten body of a young male had been found in one of the last warehouses searched. Though the body was, for the most part, the same approximate size as Tom Malloy, it was too badly mutilated to be positively identified without dental records. Trivette and Walker both left strict instructions to be notified when a match had been found.

************************************************************************ 

There was no easy way for him to explain to his mother what had happened. As he walked through the front door to his mother's house, the only thing he could think about was how this was all his fault. He was guilty of murdering his younger brother, though he did not wield the weapon that carried out the act, he was the one who was responsible. Tommy was entrusted to him care, and that trust had been violated by someone with a vendetta against him, not Tom. He hated himself more than any member of his family ever could.

The table lamp on the end table next to a large gray tone couch offered a small pool of light in the darkening room. The air seemed to be thick, and Trent could scarcely move or breathe. It felt wrong to be standing in his mother's house, that was on any given day so full of life and colour, with such dark and ugly news. Forcing his knees to congeal from the liquid jelly they had become, he moved from the darkening doorway toward the soft pool of light coming from the lamp.

"Trent?" his mother's soft voice filtered, tiredly, from the kitchen.

His throat tightened with emotion, refusing to give up any sound to answer her. Tears began to form in his already red rimmed worry filled flint eyes. Pinching his eyes closed, Trent bowed his head and pushed back the tears, wishing that he could tell her they had found Tommy.

"Trent?" Her worried eyes met his blue eyes framed in red. "Where is he?"

Trent closed his eyes, allowing a tear to fall from eyes. Once again, he attempted to gather strength and composure. "Gone." His voice was scantily above a horse whisper.

"Come," she said holding her arms out to him. Practically falling into her, Trent wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry." He berried his head into her shoulder.

******************************************************************

It had been three hours since the body had been found and still there was no match on the dental records. How long could that take? They already knew who it was, why was there any need to draw it out and make everyone suffer more? His mind was wondering and he knew it.

It was well past four in the morning when the dreaded, yet welcomed, phone call finally came in.

"Hello?" a young officer asked, answering it. "One moment." She set the phone down and went to wake Walker. "Walker." She gave his shoulder a shake.

"Yes?" He stirred on the couch.

"There's a phone call for you, Sir." 

Snapping awake, he charged off the couch and hungrily snatched up the phone.

"What've you got?" He scratched the back of his neck. "You're sure? There's no way a mistake was made?" He could hardly believe his ears. "I understand, thank you." The phone slipped from his tired fingers, and he slid it back into its cradle.

"Walker," Trent said coming back from the kitchen with his first cup of coffee from the third pot they had made. "I just wanted you to know. I'm done with the P.I. shit."

"I understand," he said still in shock from the phone call.

"It was him, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"We'll make arrangements in the morning."


	8. arrangements

The shock of it all had yet to wear off of Trent. Since everything happened he felt as though he were merely wandering around the world in plastic bubble that covered only him. Nothing could comfort him. Not the beers he drank, not the box in the corner of his apartment that held the junk from his desk, and nothing anyone had to say. None of the "Sorry, man's," not a one of the sympathy cards his family received could take away the crevice that been created when Tommy had been taken. He had caused that, he knew it. There was nothing he could do to make that go away. If he were Superman he would fly around the world backwards to save Tommy and stop this from happening.

Walker, Travette and Carlos were over at his apartment and his mother's house all of the time. He had not seen Gage since they found out that Tommy was dead. It seemed odd to Trent that Gage had taken the news worse than he had. Gage refused to believe that Tommy was dead. Gage seemed to breakdown when the news came in. Gage kept saying that Tommy was alive and that Biggins was playing a game with them. That Biggins was trying to break Trent's spirit by making him think that Tommy was dead. Though the ears that Gage was attempting to reach were not deaf, they were shocked. Anything that Gage said to try and make them see the ruse only made him appear to be crazy.

Trent found it difficult to make the arrangements for Tommy's funeral. Each time that he sat down to help pick the casket, or the floral arrangement, or the clothes for him to be laid out in, or to write the death notice, all he could do was cry and feel as though it could not really be happening. Things had progressed greatly when Walker offered to help make arrangements.

************************************************************************

Biggins still had to have a place in the city. A place that would be the last place anyone would look for him. Of course it had to be the club Biggins had told him to go to for the fateful meeting back when he was undercover. That had to be the place where he was keeping Tommy. There was no way Gage could bring himself to believe that Tommy was dead. Mostly because there was no way that Biggins would kill the one person who could allow him a clean get away.

As carefully and as quickly as he could Gage cleaned his boot knife and pistol. He made sure that all of the clips he had were fully loaded and ready to go. Carefully he strapped his knife inside his boot, making it as comfortable as possible. Holstering his gun, and shoving his cell phone into his pocket, Gage headed out the door of his apartment.


	9. dead?

"Your brother isn't going to save you." Biggins tossed a copy of the newspaper at Tommy's feet.

Gingerly Tommy picked it up. It was folded open to the page of death notices. In the center of the page was picture he had taken in school the year before, and a short piece about how he was loved and missed, as well as where and when the funeral was. 

Funeral? This could not be happening. He was not dead. How could there be a funeral for someone who is not dead. Trent is gonna see through this, he has to. If Trent cannot see through the ruse then he might as well be dead. This cannot be the end there has to more than this. Trent cannot believe that the bastard would actually kill him before he had his fun. All right so Trent does believe that he is really dead, there has to be someone who does not believe it. Carlos! Carlos would come, there was not way that he would believe it.

Frustrated and angered, Tommy threw the paper at Biggins. He could handle the beatings he got for not doing as he were told. Four days with the man and his spirit was still intact. Biggins could do what he wanted with him but there was no way that Tommy was going to allow the sick, twisted bastard the pleasure of breaking him.

"I've found a way, boy," he said as if he were reading Tommy's thoughts. "Tonight." He left the room leaving the youth to imagine what he had planned for him.

**********************************************************************

Gage's cell phone rang the moment he stepped into what used to be a club, like he suspected it would.

"Gage."

"Didn't believe that I killed the kid, did you?" Taylor questioned.

"No, I didn't." He looked around trying to find clues of anyone having been there recently. "Why pretend that he's dead?"

"Because I decided to. I like him. Do you know how much I could make off of a _boy_ like him. He's so spirited and cute. Just imagine . . ." Biggins trailed off to allow pictures to form in his own head as well as Gage's.

"You sick fuck!" He shouted his voice echoed off of the bare ceiling, floor and walls. "Why don't you let him go, you can have me."

"And what makes you think I want you? I have a cash cow sitting in front of me."

"Because I'm the one that got away." 

"If you come to me unarmed, and without informing anyone, I'll think about letting him go."

"I come to you, you let him go, that's the deal," he said hoping that it would work that way.

"Deal." Taylor Biggins smiled. "Come to my old house at four sharp. If you're late, we won't be there. But I'll be more than happy to send you a copy of every tape we make." He hung up.

It was a deal with the devil, but if it would save Tommy's life Gage would do it. If Trent fully believed that Tommy were alive, Gage knew that he would give up his life for that of his brother's. Gage had seen Trent give his all for his family before, and he would expect nothing less of Trent, but a grieving mind does not always see straight. That is way Gage was now standing at the gates of hell ready to give himself over, be an angel of mercy of sorts, for the young man held at the devil's side.

Gage stared at his phone, debating on whether or not to call Walker or Travette. They should know what he was about to do and why. He knew that by the time they found him this time he would be dead. There was nothing that anyone could do about it. He did not want them to. He had been wanting to die since Biggins had broken him a couple of years ago. This time, though, he was going to take the son of a bitch with him. This time he was going to make damn sure that Taylor Biggins died and stayed that way.

Finally he gave in, and called his mentor, colleague and friend.

"Walker."

"It's Gage." He leaned against the door of the abandoned club.

"How are you doing?" Walker asked concerned for his young friend.

"All right." He closed his eyes. "I'm going to meet him today. Tom's still alive and I'm going to get him back for Trent, and for myself." There he had said it. The weight was off of his shoulders. He could breathe once again.

"What?!" Walker said in shock.

"Biggins. He called me and offered a trade," he said being vague. "Me for Tom Malloy,"

"When? Where?" was all that Walker could get out.

"Today at Four." He wanted to hang up the phone, but something inside of him would not let him give up his last life line.

"Did he prove that Tom's still alive?"

"No," he said gritting his teeth. "I can feel it in my gut, Walker. He's still alive. I can't let the Malloy's continue to believe that he's not."

"You're gonna need backup." He could feel that there was something wrong. Gage was acting different than he had in the couple of days since Tommy's death.

"No need," he said a sad tone hung in his voice. "I'm not coming back." He hit the end button on his phone.


	10. trading spaces

"He what?!" Carlos nearly shouted into the phone.

"He's going to give himself over to Biggins this afternoon," Walker said full of concern.

"Why?"

"He said that Tommy's still alive and he was going to get him back."

"Has he gone completely mad?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "But I do know that we have to stop him before he gets himself killed."

"He didn't happen to clue you in to where he was planning on meeting Biggins, did he?"

"No."

"I'll call you back in an hour. I have a feeling I know where he's going." 

"All right, one hour." Walker hung up the phone.

Carlos feverishly typed commands into his computer. He could not help but smile at himself when the computer confirmed his gut feeling. He quickly wrote down the address and then shoved the piece of paper into his jeans pocket.

He knew where Gage was going. Heading for his car, Carlos dialed Walker's number. There was no answer; all he got was voice mail. Quickly he rattled off all of the information he had including the address of Biggins house, telling Walker that he would meet him there Carlos hung up.


	11. lamb to the slaughter

The house was tucked away behind a thatch of trees that obviously were brought in from elsewhere. A long narrow stone path led from the driveway to the house. Deep burgundy curtains hung in the large glass windows, paling the beige of the siding on the house. 

Carlos cautiously surveyed his surroundings. If her were Taylor Biggins he would also choose to hide his house away in thick patches of trees, and no neighbors for half a mile in either direction. Taylor Biggins could get away with pretty much anything he wanted to in the middle of nowhere. Carlos carefully approached the front door, reaching for the brass knob on the large dark green door. His fingers nearly had the knob in his grasp when the door burst open, nearly pulling him inside with it. The large man filling the doorway smiled at Carlos' surprise. 

"Lose someone, Detective?" the burly man said. Carlos could say nothing. The man was nearly as tall as the door itself, and he took up almost the entire door frame. He would hate to be the poor idiot that would ever call Taylor Biggins fat. He would probably squeeze his head like a grapefruit. "Or should I say, ex-detective." He stepped out onto the porch.

"Sorry," Carlos said backing away from the large man. "I thought that this house was on the market,"

"Not so fast." He struck out quickly with one of his beefy hands, grabbing a fist full of Carlos' shirt. "There's someone inside who'd like to see you." He pulled Carlos through the front door and slammed it shut. Shoving Carlos hard to the floor he said, "You could call it wake of sorts." 

"What in the hell are you rambling about?" he asked trying to get his bearings. That was one strong man.

"I think you know what I'm talking about." He reached down and jerked Carlos to his feet. Harshly he pushed the smaller man up the staircase to the second floor. Carlos did the best he could to keep his balance when ascending the stairs, but having a hand constantly pushing him up them was difficult.

At the top of the stairs a short hallway stretched out before him. Biggins pushed him to the end of it. He wanted to run, but he could not. Biggins placed one of his large hands on the back of Carlos' neck to make sure that would not happen. His other hand opened the door to a small, scantily furnished room with badly peeling wallpaper. There was a single wire frame bed tossed against the far wall, its mattress beaten and ugly. Biggins dragged Carlos inside. He quickly relieved him of his weapon and handcuffs. He handcuffed Carlos to the bed with the speed and agility one would not expect from someone as muscular as Biggins.

"Wait!" Carlos yelled after him. "You said that there was someone who'd like to see me."

"There is," he said nodding his head. "You can see him after an expected guest arrives." He left the room closing the door behind him. 

Carlos' heart sank when he heard it being locked. There was no way out. There were no trees close enough to the house to climb of the second story window, and that would only be if he remember to bring his keys with him. Nope, left them in the car. He sank to the dirty old bed and tried to figure out how to get out of this. Then he remembered the inside pocket of his jacket. There tucked safely away was his cell phone. Of course it would have to be on the same side of the jacket as his free hand. Carefully he slipped his free arm from his jacket and retrieved the phone.

Hastily he punched in Trent's number.

"I know that you quit the hero thing, but I need you right now." Carlos said before anyone on the other end had a chance to respond to answering the phone.

"What are you taking about?" Trent asked tired.

"Biggins has me. I went to his house, the one that he held Gage in."

"You what?" His tone was hard and even.

"I told Walker to meet me here. I don't know if he got the message. But when I went exploring someone found me. And he insisted on inviting me to stay." He pulled against the cuffs.

"Where's Walker" Trent could feel his mind breaking free of the trance he had been in since Tommy. . . Damn Carlos.

"Don't know. Walker wasn't here when I got here."

"Just sit tight. I'll bring the calvary for you," he said almost laughing.

************************************************************************

Carlos always did have quiet a knack for getting himself into trouble, getting out was another story all together. Trent hated the way Carlos could make him want to fight the good fight no matter how badly beaten he was. How did he do that? He felt bad, now, for walking away from the case without finishing it. Now he was going to finish it. He had to, for Tommy. He could not let Tommy be buried without justice for his senseless slaughter.

"Walker," said a voice that Trent had not truly heard in a couple of days.

"Did you get Carlos' message?"

"No."

"He just called. He's at Biggins' house. You were supposed to meet him there."

"I'll be by to pick you up on five."


	12. tricked

Gage shook his head sadly, when he saw Carlos' car parked in the driveway to Biggins house. He just could not leave it be. And where did it get him? Caught, probably. As he approached the house he hoped that Carlos was still alive. It was almost as he remembered it in his nightmares. The long narrow path through the trees to the front door. The arched front door. The brick of the front porch. It was all familiar to him, and he wanted to forget it all. The only way to do that was to face the beast that lived inside.

Gage was not surprised to find the door standing open. He was even less surprised to see Taylor seated on the couch with a glass water in his hand. He slowly drew his weapon and dropped the clip. Then he tossed it into the near by chair. Biggins smiled. He had won and he knew it.

"Where is he?" Gage asked venomously.

"He's here." He set the glass down on an end table, and stood up.

"Show me." He refused to yield his ground to the larger man. 

"You're tougher than when we met last." He studied Gage. The man he saw looked the same as when he last saw him, but there was something different. He was harder, though he could tell that Gage had hidden that from the people around him. He smiled at the man before him. He was the one that had caused the change in the cocky young man, and he was proud of it. "That way." He pointed to the staircase that was just around the corner from the living room.

Gage turned away from Biggins and slowly moved toward the staircase. He could feel the large man just behind him, following him up the stairs. He felt like a prisoner headed for his execution. Every step was harder than the last. More and more he became aware of what he was doing. He was committing suicide, though he would not be the one pulling the trigger. He stopped at the top of the staircase.

"Second door on the right," Taylor's voice said into his ear as tender as a summer breeze.

For a brief moment his bravado melted and he could not make himself move. He was afraid of the condition he would find Tommy in. Images of the boy dying from being beaten, being raped, or branded, filled his thoughts. Finally he was able to break through his fear and head for the second door on the right.

He firmly grasped the small porcelain knob, and gave it a twist. The door stuck slightly, but opened when Gage put his shoulder into it. His eyes scanned the room for Tommy. Nothing. There was no sign of him there. Damn it, he was so stupid. Of course Biggins would not keep Tommy there. If he were caught he would need a bargaining chip to get away.

"Where is he?" he turned quickly to face his tormenter.

"He's here." He smiled at the smaller man. "I didn't lie about that." He shoved Gage farther into the room. "Enjoy the lack of windows." He slammed the door shut and locked it.

**********************************************************************

"Let me out of here, God damn it!" Gage shouted as he pounded on the door.

This cannot be happening. Biggins had lied to him. It was a trick to get him back. Gage knew that, now. He had to find a way out of the room and to Carlos. Their only chance of getting out was together.

Gage quickly began to search the room for a way out. A loose floor board, a hole in the wall, anything that would allow him to escape.


	13. the calvery

"It seems as though Gage does care about you," Taylor said gently brushing Tommy's sweat and blood matted hair from his face. It had taken more time than Gage, but he had managed to break the boy's spirit. He had enjoyed that beyond anything he had ever done before. "He came for you."

No response. Tommy merely lay still on the bed in the master bedroom. The peach coloured sheets stained red and yellow from their last encounter. Worry began to fill the large man. He had not wanted to kill the boy, merely break his spirit. 

"Hey," he said giving the boy a small shake. Slowly the boy's body responded to Biggins' touch.

"Hmmmmmmm," he moaned rolling from his side to his back. 

"Good," he murmured tracing a thin line of blood from the corner of the Tommy's mouth to his jaw.

"Trent," Tommy whimpered realizing that he was not alone.

"No," came the response.

"Go away," he said rolling away from Biggins.

"I'll bring you one of your friends."

***********************************************************************

The door to Carlos' room burst open under the force of Taylor's weight.

"You're needed." He came toward Carlos.

"Gage?" he asked confused.

"The boy." He undid the lock on the cuffs and unhooked it from the younger man's wrist. 

Not saying anything else, Biggins seized Carlos by the hair on his head. He quickly pulled him up the hall toward the stairs. He pushed open the door to the room at the top of the stairs and pulled Carlos inside. 

The coppery salt smell of blood mingled with the almost sweet smell of sweat, and assaulted Carlos' senses as he was forced into the room. He could just make out the lines of a form lying in the bed. "Get him cleaned up and ready to go."He stumbled slightly when he was given a hard shove from his captor. Carefully Carlos moved toward the bed and the figure lying in it.

"Tom," he said softly. He moved closer to the form on the bed. His eyes caught sight of large bruises on Tommy's back, anger instantly swelled in him. He snapped his head up to look at Biggins, eyes wide with shock and fear. "What did you do to him?" 

Gently he placed a hand on Tommy's shoulder. "Tom," he whispered. "It's Carlos."

"Carlos." His voice was hardly a whisper, and so coarse it was almost beyond recognition.

"That's right," he said removing his jacket. Nimbly his fingers undid the buttons of his top shirt. He removed the shirt and then aided Tommy in sitting up. Careful not to hurt him further, Carlos helped Tommy put the shirt on, and then he put his jacket back on.

"Can I go home now?" he asked trying to curl up against Carlos' shoulder.

"Not quiet yet, kiddo." He stood up, keeping one arm firmly around Tommy's shoulders. "Where're his clothes?" he asked Biggins. The large man pointed to a corner under the window on the other side of the room.

Scared and angry Carlos crossed the room and retrieved Tommy's clothes. The shirt was torn beyond saving, but his pants were wearable for a while. He helped Tommy put the pants on, and then he helped him to the door of the bedroom. It was unlocked and opened easily when Carlos pushed it.

The door just across the hall was open. Sounds of a beating resinated from the room. Carlos entered the room, stowing Tommy around the corner.

Gage was on the floor in a bloody heap. He was not even trying to defend himself against the man.

"Hey!" Carlos shouted instantly wishing that he had not.

"Where's the boy?" Biggins turned to face Carlos.

"Safe."

************************************************************************

Carefully Trent made his way up the path to the front door. Blessedly it was left open after Gage had gone in. Careful not make too much noise, Trent made his way to the back door where Travette and Walker were waiting with a handful of P.D. His heart broke with every step that he took. He could hear the beating going on upstairs. He wanted so much to help his friends, but he knew that there was no way he could do it alone.

The lawmen carefully made their way into the house. The P.D. covered all the exits on the first floor, while Walker, Travette and Trent made their way up the stairs.

"Carlos," Tommy said walking into Gage's room. Carlos lay unmoving in a heap on the floor. Gage sat at Carlos' side, blood running down the side of his face and dripping onto the collar of his shirt. Gage gingerly pressed his fingers into Carlos' neck just below his jaw while Biggins hovered over them.

"Tommy," Gage said as quietly as he could. Careful as he could Tommy moved to Carlos' side. Kneeling down he placed his fingers on the side of his friend's neck, he had to feel the blood rushing through the vein for himself, and pressed in. A weak smiled played across the youth's face when the pulse he found was steady and strong. Satisfied Tommy turned his attention to Gage.

"You all right?" he asked softly. Gage nodded.

"Awe, isn't this just cute," Biggins said from behind Tommy. Closing his eyes Tommy wished that he were somewhere else. He could feel that Biggins had moved closer to him. "Get up," he said to Gage, snaking his arm around Tommy's mid section.

"Give it up, Taylor," he said, carefully rising to his feet. "They have to be here by now. Carlos may be many things, but dumb isn't one of them. People knew where he was, and they'll come for him."

"Well, they can have him." He backed toward the door. "Let's go."

"All right." He started out the door. He was in mid stride when he saw Trent and Walker coming up the last couple of steps. He quickly shook his head no in an attempt to warn them to go back. At first neither understood his meaning until Biggins stepped out of the room holding a hostage close to his chest. 

Realization struck Trent like a hot iron. "Tommy!" he shouted attempting to jump over the rail. 

Walker immediately shot his arm out to stop him. "No," he said sharply. His grip was sure and tight.

"Walker," Biggins said producing a gun from behind his back, and aiming it at the men in front of him. "Nice to see you again." He smiled broadly at them. "Surprise, Trent."

"It's over," Walker said aiming his weapon at the large. "Let them go."

"I don't think so." He gave Gage a small shove. "We're leaving. I'll let the boy go once I know that we've not been followed." 

Gage locked eyes with Walker. He was begging him for trust, and the allowance to finish things with Biggins once and for all; even if it meant allowing them to leave a potentially controllable situation. Though Walker despised the idea of permitting the three of them to leave the premises, he knew that there was no other choice. Gage would finish it whether or not the three of them walked out the front door. 

He slowly ushered Trent and Travette back down the stairs. Gage followed behind them. Biggins brought up the rear with Tommy in tow. Trent watched helplessly as Gage, Tommy and Biggins walked out the front door. He moved quickly to follow them. As he ran, his legs almost would not carry him down the front walk to his car. His normally nimble fingers shook, and fumbled with his keys. Finally able to get his body under control, he followed the car that was being driven by Gage.


	14. escape

"Where're we going?" Gage's voice was way cooler than he had wanted it to be. His hawk like blue eyes glanced across the bench seat to Biggins in the passenger seat. Biggins kept Tommy between himself and Gage so as to make Gage think twice before attempting anything heroic.

"North," Biggins said keeping an arm draped over Tommy. 

It was going to work this time, it had to. There was no reason why everything should not go as he had planned it. Just him Gage and the boy together forever. Though that may change. It mattered not. He just wanted the satisfaction of having gotten away with what he had. The lives of Gage and Tommy were really no concern of his. They were merely pawns in his game with fate. He had to prove that he could beat fate. Fate had taken Gage from him once, and now he wanted to shove that in fates face. He wanted to say to fate that he had beaten her, and that Gage's life was over now because of that. The boy was just to say that fate had no control where he was concerned. She was just a bitch with nothing over his head except who she sent him. And she had sent Gage to him, shining, gleaming like the brightest star in the night sky, wearing a big fluffy bow. He was a neat little package sent on over by fate just asking to be opened with all the vengeance of a betrayed lover.

Gage glanced over at Tommy, the kid did not appear to be afraid. In fact he seemed to know what Gage was going to do.

"Put your seatbelt on," he told the younger man in the seat next to him. Without question Tommy did as he was told and fastened the seatbelt. 

Pushing the car faster Gage turned the wheel sharply causing the car to veer off the road. The right front corner clipped a tree, slowing the momentum. The car was turned sharply to the left from the initial impact, causing it to hit another tree. The impact was hard, sending jitters through the steel of the chassis. With a few last grunts of complaint from the engine the car stopped moving, nearly taking the tree with it. Gage's head rested against the steering wheel, Tommy was slumped against his back, and Biggins lay against the dash blood spilling from a cut on his head.


	15. crash and fight

For a few breathless moments, no one moved inside the car. Gage finally began to move. He could hardly believe that he was still alive. It had worked this time, Biggins was down and soon to be out. Carefully Gage checked Tommy over. 

"Tom," he said giving the youth a gentle shake.

"Yeah," he said slowly.

"All right," he said with a smile. They were all right. "How about we get out of here?" He opened the driver's door and slide out.

"Don't have to ask me twice." Tommy undid his seatbelt. Carefully he crawled out of the wreck. On his way out he chanced a glance at the floor of the car. The gun had fallen during the accident and was now wedged just past the brake. They would need that. He paused for a quick moment to pick it up. It was heavy in his hands. Once he had it, he resumed making his way out of what was left of the car. A few more inches and he was free. 

"No you don't," a gruff voice said as a hand shot forward and grabbed Tommy's ankle. He gave it a firm tug, knocking the youth off balance, causing him to hit his chest the edge of the seat, knocking what little air he had in his lungs out. Quickly Biggins pulled the youth toward him.

"Gage!" Tommy shouted, tossing the gun at him.

"No!" Gage shouted moving to grab Tommy's arms.

"The gun." Seeing the gun Gage picked it up.

Biggins emerged from the other side of the car with his struggling captive. He had one arm wrapped securely about the youth's neck while his other held a weapon that was undefinable in the dark. Gage aimed his weapon at Biggins.

"Let him go," he warned.

"Make me." He pulled Tommy closer to him. "Without that toy." 

"Whatever you want." Gage set the gun down and headed toward Biggins.

Biggins stood his ground, managing to keep one arm tightly about the youth. Gage charged the large man. Holding out his weapon, Biggins allowed the angry man to charge him. Once Gage was within reach, Biggins brought his weapon out to meet Gage's mid section, falling him. Biggins had a knife.

"Your turn, kid." He threw Tommy to the ground once again knocking the breath out of him. Biggins ripped the knife from Gage's prone form, causing him to cry out in pain. He walked toward Tommy, pointing the blood covered knife at the boy.

There was nothing left to do. There was no way he could fight the guy and win, not even Gage could do that. He did the only thing he could, he surrendered. He laid his head back against the soft grass, and waited for the knife to find its way into his belly as it had Gage's.

Taylor smiled at the boy. He had won. He had beat fate at her game. He was going to enjoy sinking the sharp blade of the knife into the tender flesh of the youth before him. It was a pity though, the kid had been a good lover for the days that they had been together. Slowly he sank to his knees, straddling the young man's hips. Pulling his arms above his head, clasping the knife tautly, he prepared to bring the knife down. 

It was then that a single shot rang out in the cool night air. The large man's body jerked, falling to the ground away from Tommy, taking the knife with him. He was dead. Blood oozed from a small hole in the side of his head. It was a hell of a shot.

Tommy moved quickly to get away from the body of his tormentor. His eyes scanning the area for the person who fired the shot. He knew there was no way Gage could have done that, he was lying too far from the gun and was bleeding too badly to have even been able to. The movement of a figure, stopped Tommy dead. Trent. Trent had been the one who fired the shot. He still held the gun in his shaking hand.

"Trent," Tommy said moving toward his brother.

"Is he?" he asked shocked.

"Yeah. We need to get help, Gage's hurt bad." He pointed to where Gage lay bleeding.

Dropping the gun Trent ran to his friend's side. He quickly added as much pressure to the wound as he could.

"You still with us, Buddy?" he asked, noticing the fallen man's pale colour.

"Yeah," Gage choked out. "Thanks." He gave a weak smile.

"You just hang in there," he said trying to encourage his friend.

"I'll . . ." he breathed.

"No," Trent whispered. "Gage, no."


	16. delivered

"You're looking better," Trent said walking into the hospital room.

"So are you," came a sarcastic reply. 

"Yeah, well I'm just glad you're okay." He moved closer to Gage's bed.

"Me too." He smiled at Trent. "I know how you feel about guns, Trent, and I wanted to say thank you for giving him what he deserved. Anytime you want to talk, Carlos is a good listener." Both men laughed.

"Yeah he is."

"How is he?"

"He'll live. Concussion. Hasn't stopped him from hitting on everyone of his nurses." They laughed again.

"Tom?"

"He's been quiet since he got home. Mom's worried. I'm thinking that he may want some space from the rest of the family, so I told him he could come stay with me until he sorts through the hole mess."

"He needs you right now," Gage said locking eyes with Trent. "More than he wants or needs his mother. And you need him too."

"You should almost die every day, makes you wiser."

"Maybe you should give it a try, man."

~~The End~~


End file.
